I wasn't pretending
by Deathly Jester
Summary: This story is done for poet-of-deimos (on tumblr) for the RyoSaku Exchange. "She didn't really understand it, at all! That out of the blue these two handsome, yet annoying boys started pining after her. Her best friend noticed it too, and it for sure was getting on his nerves too. But why would it? I mean wouldn't he be happy that she had people who wanted to court her?"


**Deathly Jester: Hello all, I'm here with a gift for poet-of-deimos on Tumblr. So here's my best shot!**

Sakuno Ryuzaki. A beautiful, timid, and wonderful human being. . . Right? She excelled in _almost_ every subject in school (Why was it that she had to take English still?) Pretty okay in tennis, more of a hobbyist than a pursuer of the sport. She didn't deserve this to happen to her really. It wasn't fair to her, or anyone else for that matter. Because who needed three men pining after you 24/7 366 days of this leap year? It was just one more day that she had to spend flustered and confused about why Ryoga and Kintarou were fighting for her attention.

It must have been the start of the semester when she began to notice it. Her hand hadn't touched a door in what felt like weeks, and her wallet was getting buffer, considering no matter how hard she tried she could never pay for something herself. It was driving her insane, clinically insane. She began wondering if she were put on medication if she'd be allowed to pay for it herself, or take it without it being spoonfed with constant reminders on when to take it. Was her life even her own anymore? The only comfort that she had in this was that her best friend and possible boyfriend hadn't let it slip his radar either. Ryoma, he was perfect, and protective.

It was weird calling him her best friend, they seemed like more than that at times. Either way it was starting to crawl under his skin too, he didn't like how her attention was divided between himself, and the new suitors. They were a thorn in his side, and a disease to his perfect plan to win Sakuno's heart once and for all. Sure he knew she liked him, but he needed more than that, he needed to win her heart, 100% once and for all. And those boys were in for it. Oh yes, the war was on.

The war started off simply enough, first Ryoma would leave some bugs in the enemy's shoes before they left the school (seeing as you had to change into indoor shoes) but Sakuno only took pity upon them, offering to help clean out their shoes which had become a graveyard of dead bugs.

Plot two was a bit more complex, it might have involved theft and false incrimination. Not completely illegal but still slightly frowned upon if it wasn't pulled off right. He had gathered some pictures of 'cute' girls from the internet and placed them inside Ryoga and Kintarou's bags, to top it off he drew little hearts with glitter pens from his cousin's room, right where Sakuno would see them. It'd be perfect! She surely wouldn't be able to even think about if those boys had affections for her or not after seeing pictures of other girls surrounded with hearts inside their bags.

Not only did plan two work pretty well it backfired into both of their stupid faces. Claiming that they had found it on the floor, and that it did in fact belong to the other. Getting the immediate target of suspicion off their backs, only to have it placed on their foreheads. They looked like total idiots in front of Sakuno! Trying to blabber off how this picture wasn't theirs, and how the other was just trying to make them look bad. Cue myself:

"Why don't you just confess that you both had the pictures, your lying only makes you look even worse in front of poor Saku-chan. Just admit to it, I'm sure she won't think any worse of you than she does at this moment." I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her into my side. This erupted a mountain of complaints from the two idiots standing in front of me, and a glorious blush from Sakuno.

"These aren't our pictures, someone planted them I swear!"

"I agree, this is a huge mistake Saku-chan, my brother has no reason to fear for your safety with myself." Ryoga played it smooth, giving a slight bow (curse his ability to act suave and mature!)

"I understand minna! Ryoma is just being the overprotective boyfriend that he is, you guys don't have to worry about my thought on you changing! You're my friends, you can like whomever you'd like to! I'll always consider you my dear friends!" Her innocent smile was beautiful. I was in complete shock as well, she considered me her boyfriend? Since when! Why wasn't I told of this. . . I guess she just. . . assumed that with how I was treating her maybe we were dating? Either way or whatever way she thought I was completely fine with it!

"Yeah, so stop flirting with her too, it's not very appropriate either." I enjoyed chiding them, maybe a little too much.

Smirking at their broken faces I grabbed Sakuno's hand and lead her away from the fumbling, bumbling mess. Once we were a good distance away Sakuno pulled her hand from mine.

"Thanks for helping me Ryoma-kun, I know you don't really think of me as your girlfriend, but your acting was good! I've been getting pretty annoyed with those boys' behavior, they're my friends, but they've been treating each other horribly. Pranking each other so they will look better to me. Anyways, thanks again! You're my best friend." I grabbed her head, stopping her from bowing.

"Baka, That's not why I helped you. I helped you because you _are_ my girlfriend. Don't forget it either, baka-chan. You're mine." The look she gave me was one of pure astonishment. I guess she had no idea that that was coming.

"Ie, Ryoma it's okay you don't have to pretend!" Her face and hands were frantic.

"I'm not pretending, because I really do like you Sakuno. And I want you to be my girlfriend. Please, say yes." I gave a slight bow, never breaking eye contact, this action only caused her blush to increase ten-fold.

"I. . . I wouldn't mind becoming your girlfriend Ryoma-kun." She broke the staring contest to start one with the ground beneath her feet.

"Good, cause I wouldn't let you anyways." I smiled, a true and bright smile, and swept her off her feet and kissed her. Ignoring her protests, I just kissed her. I poured all of my love into it, opening myself up to this girl who opened my heart in the first place.

"My girlfriend."

"My boyfriend."


End file.
